This Is How Much The Young Bucks Are Really Worth

Nick and Matt Jackson, the Young Bucks, have done something truly revolutionary in the WWE-dominated world of professional wrestling. At the beginning of the 21st century, when the other two major wrestling promotions — World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) — went under, their assets were bought up by the WWE, establishing the promotion as a de facto monopoly on the flashy brand of sports entertainment. Ever since, the WWE has been the default career goal for wrestlers across the country.

So when the Young Bucks signed contracts with smaller promotions like New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor Wrestling in 2016, rather than go for the big time as many people expected them to, they turned a few heads. But the gambit worked out for them. According to Vice, their quirky brand of meta-nostalgia for 1990s wrestling tropes and willingness to kick nine-year-olds in the face have allowed them to cash the same kind of checks as wrestlers on Monday Night Raw. But their bank accounts weren't always so padded. Matt told Vice that he once had to get Nick to pick up his lunch tab when he couldn't afford a $1.99 biscuit at Popeyes. So just how did Nick and Matt turn their financial woes around, and what are the Young Bucks worth now?

Gig pay is only part of what the Young Bucks are raking in. In fact, merchandising and views on their YouTube channel are really what bring home the bacon. As Vice reported, Nick and Matt learned from fellow indie wrestling star Colt Cabana how to really cash in on merchandise sales. The WWE is still the biggest name in wrestling worldwide, and definitely pays off for those who make it big in the promotion. The Undertaker has been known to charge as much as $25,000 an hour to get in the ring, but such cases are rare. However, for those coming in off the indie circuit, if they've handled their careers and images well, they could be looking at a pay cut in order to get more publicity, since the WWE takes its bite out of their merchandise sales. As independent wrestlers, the Young Bucks are able to keep much more of their merchandising sales, which make up the bulk of their earnings.

According to The Sportster, this strategy has paid off, and handsomely, at that. The brothers boast a net worth of $2 million, and they did it all themselves, by believing in their talents and rewarding their fans for being fans. The duo is now what many call the best tag team in the business today. If they keep on the same track, their net worth is only set to grow further.